The SFZC Audio Archive

Serial: SF-08143 03/15/2025, Sozan Michael McCord, dharma talk at City Center. Sozan Michael McCord looks at Zen kitchen practice and work practice generally, connecting to the joy of activity, learning to care and venerate all things, and how to... This talk delves into the teachings and life applications of the "Tenzo Kyokun," a 13th-century Zen text by Dogen about the philosophy of kitchen practice as a metaphor for life. Emphasizing the constant interplay between 'the...

Serial: SF-08084 03/05/2025, Teah Strozer, dharma talk at City Center. Teah Strozer speaks about Eihei Dogen Zenji’s text “Tenzo Kyokun (Instruction to the Cook)” as part of the March 2025 intensive focus on kitchen practice. The talk discusses the practice described in Dogen's "Tenzo Kyokun," focusing on the kitchen's role as the heart of a monastic community and a place of practice realization. It highlights how mundane tasks performed with full...

Serial: SF-08106 02/19/2025, Anshi Zachary Smith, dharma talk at City Center. Anshi Zachary Smith asks “How can we study and engage with memory and mind processes in such a way that it allows for skillful, discerning activity?” The talk explores the nature of mind and consciousness, drawing connections between life as memory and the concept of pralaya from ancient Indian texts. It engages with Zen perspectives and various philosophical stances such as...

Serial: SF-08100 02/02/2025, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler suggests that to meet the current moment, we might practice a deep-rooted kindness, like the kindness of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva... The talk centers on the practice of kindness within Zen philosophy, emphasizing kindness as an inherent and authentic expression of one's being rather than a superficial response. It discusses the importance of maintaining a...

Serial: SF-08144 01/18/2025, Jisan Tova Green, dharma talk at City Center. This talk by Jisan Tova Green weaves together themes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s sermons, teachings of Zen ancestor Eihei Dogen and the late Hozan Alan Senauke, and... The talk explores the teachings of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., examining two of his sermons to address contemporary issues of social justice and interconnectedness. It draws parallels between King's sermons, Buddhist...

Serial: SF-08105 01/11/2025, Keiryu Liên Shutt, dharma talk at City Center. Keiryu Liên Shutt discusses how the hands and eyes of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, need to be directed towards ourselves, too. Especially in times of... The talk explores the concept of the "way-seeking mind" in Zen practice, emphasizing its role in connecting practitioners with the Buddha mind by fostering compassion and wisdom. It discusses the Bodhisattva ideal, highlighting...

Serial: SF-08097 01/04/2025, Shosan Victoria Austin, dharma talk at City Center. Shosan Victoria Austin asks: How does Zen training help us find a sense of refreshment in ordinary, simple activities? The talk centers on the theme of renewal within Zen practice, particularly in relation to New Year's resolutions and the concept of a "beginner's mind" as articulated by Suzuki Roshi. There is emphasis on the importance of laying...

Serial: SF-08500 12/21/2024, Tenzen David Zimmerman, dharma talk at City Center. On the occasion of the Winter Solstice, Central Abbot Tenzen David Zimmerman delves into the themes of stillness, rest, liminality, and balance. The talk focuses on the Winter Solstice as a metaphor for transitions and the balancing of opposites, such as light and dark or yin and yang. It explores how these themes tie into Zen practice, emphasizing stillness, presence,...

Serial: SF-08313 12/14/2024, Zenki Mary Mocine, dharma talk at City Center. Zenki Mary Mocine asks: How should we practice with dis-ease, fear and even anger? Remember your connection with and compassion for all beings, including yourself. The talk centers on navigating the challenges and emotions following a politically charged period, emphasizing the importance of practicing presence and loving-kindness amidst societal darkness. It reflects on Zen teachings,...

Serial: SF-08320 12/07/2024, Jisan Tova Green, dharma talk at City Center. Jisan Tova Green weaves together several themes in this final talk of the City Center Fall 2024 Practice Period: welcoming beginner's mind and the ten ox-herding pictures... The talk, conducted on December 7th, 2024, explores the interconnectedness of all things, touching on themes such as beginner's mind, the ten ox-herding pictures, and the life and enlightenment of the Buddha. The speaker...

Serial: SF-08354 11/24/2024, Kiku Christina Lehnherr, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Kiku Christina Lehnherr teaches that practicing and overtly expressing appreciation, gratitude and generosity towards all the people, situations and things,... The talk focuses on the concept of "silent illumination," highlighting the breath as a conduit to accessing stillness and presence. The speaker encourages breath awareness to cultivate peace amidst life's complexities, connecting...

Serial: SF-08460 11/20/2024, Jisan Tova Green, dharma talk at City Center. In this dharma talk by Fall 2024 practice period co-leader Jisan Tova Green, Tova investigates how it's possible to find inner freedom in a world in which so many beings... The talk, titled "Finding Freedom," explores the concept of freedom, focusing on both internal liberation and its relation to social justice. It reflects on the role of rest in sustaining activism and personal growth. Various...

Serial: SF-08484 11/13/2024, Eli Brown-Stevenson, dharma talk at City Center. This dharma talk was given at Beginner’s Mind Temple by So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson, co-leader of the fall 2024 practice period at City Center. Inspired by the teachings... This talk addresses the practice of Zen through the metaphor of the 10 Ox-Herding Pictures, exploring themes of inner realization and acceptance. Highlighting stages five and six of the series, it emphasizes a shift from control...

Serial: SF-08319 11/06/2024, Gengyoko Tim Wicks, dharma talk at City Center. This dharma talk was given at Beginner’s Mind Temple by tanto (head of practice) and practice period co-leader Gengyoko Tim Wicks. In the talk, Tim shares some of the... The main thesis of the talk centers around the practice period at the San Francisco Zen Center, focusing on themes of welcoming and practice as explored through texts and teachings. The speaker discusses the integration of...

Serial: SF-08429 10/27/2024, Furyu Nancy Schroeder, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Senior dharma teacher Furyu Schroeder examines a variety of approaches for working with the difficulties in our life, all of them include bringing our attention... The talk explores the Buddhist concept of the self through the doctrine of the five skandhas, emphasizing the transient and interdependent nature of existence. The narrative underscores the importance of practicing the Buddha way...

Serial: SF-08449 10/23/2024, So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson, dharma talk at City Center. This dharma talk was given at Beginner’s Mind Temple by Fall 2024 Practice Period co-leader So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson. This talk centers on the Zen practice of... The talk explores the theme of "welcoming" in Zen practice, emphasizing the foundational Zen concept of "Beginner's Mind" as articulated by Suzuki Roshi. It references Galen Ferguson's "Welcoming Beginner's Mind," which builds on...

Serial: SF-08379 10/13/2024, Sozan Michael McCord, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This dharma talk was given at Beginner’s Mind Temple by San Francisco Zen Center president Sozan Michael McCord. While we honor and treasure the memories, lessons... The talk explores the challenges of being present in the moment within Zen practice, using the metaphor of a funeral pyre to illustrate the importance of awareness and appreciation of life's transience. Emphasizing Zen's...

Serial: SF-08350 10/09/2024, So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson, dharma talk at City Center. This dharma talk was given at Beginner’s Mind Temple by So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson. Words are powerful, but they can also lead us astray—especially when teachings... The talk discusses the importance of understanding and embodying Zen teachings beyond their literal words, emphasizing the limitations of language due to cultural and linguistic differences. By referencing Zen masters such as...

Serial: SF-08456 10/06/2024, Gyokuden Stephanie Blank, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this talk, from Green Gulch Farm by Gyokuden Steph Blank, Steph reflects on practice in the temple and in the marketplace with an abiding love for both... The talk focuses on the intertwining paths of Zen practice in monastic and secular life, emphasizing that the essence of practice lies in recognizing non-separation and using gift-bestowing hands to engage with the world. The...

Serial: SF-08268 10/02/2024, Ryushin Paul Haller, dharma talk at City Center. Our narratives and our histories shape our conditioned being. Acknowledging this conditioning, we take Refuge in Buddha, the innate capacity to Awaken. In this talk,... The talk explores the teachings of Dogen Zenji, particularly focusing on the fascicle "Only a Buddha Together with a Buddha," emphasizing the impermanence and subjectivity of personal reality constructions. The speaker discusses...

Serial: SF-08278 09/25/2024, Hondo Dave Rutschman, dharma talk at City Center. This dharma talk was given at Beginner’s Mind Temple by Hondo Dave Rutschman. One of the most important questions each of us has to work out in our life is deciding... The talk explores the theme of stewardship within Zen practice, articulating how traditional practices and teachings have been preserved across generations, emphasizing the responsibility to maintain these traditions for future...

Serial: SF-08303 09/15/2024, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this talk given at Green Gulch Farm, Abiding Abbott Jiryu Rutschman-Byler continues to explore four core elements of zazen practice: low belly, upright spine... The talk explores the practice of Zen meditation, focusing on the four crucial points of Zazen posture: grounding the low belly, straightening the spine, clearing the mind, and welcoming the entirety of one's existence. It...

Serial: SF-08353 09/08/2024, Stephanie Blank, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This talk was given at Green Gulch Farm by Gyokuden Steph Blank. In the talk, Gyokuden invokes dragon energies and invites us to awaken together right now; heartbreak... This talk at Green Gulch Farm reflects on themes of Zen practice, including dragons, karma, intention, and everyday practice. The speaker emphasizes the importance of awakening together in the present moment and highlights the...

Serial: SF-08365 09/01/2024, Gil Fronsdal, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This extemporaneous talk was given at Green Gulch Farm by Gil Fronsdal. In the talk, Gil brings forward the teachings that arose in that moment. The talk emphasizes the experiential and participatory nature of Zen practice beyond the mere words or teachings conveyed in a Dharma talk. It underscores the importance of being present and aware, arguing that the essence of...